“Continue…” Lily said.
“Well… he said he wanted to find out about everything that my grandmother knew about Lilian. At that time… I found it weird because… first my grandmother was already forgetful. I didn’t know that she was faking it.” Claude said. “I believe that man didn’t know either. He just said that I need to get as close as possible for her to tell me all her secrets.”
“And did she?”
Claude shook his head in response. “My grandmother is the smartest woman that I know.” He sighed. “When that man told me about it. I immediately declined. But then… he offered me something that I could not refuse.” Seeing Lily raise an eyebrow at him, he continued. “He told me that he would give me the name and address of my real mother once I figured out everything.”
“You have known that someone else is your mother?”
“I didn’t.” Another sigh left his lips. “I didn’t have a clue that my father had fooled my mother. I didn��t know that I was the fruit of his infidelity. However… that man gave me a DNA kit to confirm. But I never used it. Instead… I tried to talk to my father about this matter. However, everytime that I opened a conversation, he would suddenly say he was busy.”
He continued. “At that time, I wanted to assure myself that I was my mother’s son. So I bought my own DNA testing kit. You know that stuff that you can find online? I was thinking that they were unreliable. You know… that the result would come out 99.99 percent positive. That I am my mother’s son.”
“You’re not.” Lily said. Claude nodded before he scoffed.
“It’s funny how people who I just met less than a week ago, already know this. While… it took me more than twenty years to find out the truth. You know… I never once doubted my parentage. Both my parents love me for who I am. I was spoiled. My grandmother raised me but my parents would take me to places with my sibling. We were happy. They were busy… but we were happy.”
“Then, that man came?”
He nodded in response. “That man came and changed everything I believed to be the truth my entire life.”
“Let me guess… you still refused to do his bidding?” Lily smiled. “Then the man blackmailed you?”
Claude stared at Lily, surprised at how her mind worked. Was it really that easy to guess? For the umpteenth time, he nodded his face grim. “He was Japanese. I heard him speak Japanese to his men. But his American accent was flawless. His accent was similar to the southern parts of America? Somewhere near Texas. Or at least I think it was Texas as I know someone from that state and they sounded exactly alike.”
“I see.” Lily pursed her lips. “And did you find what you were looking for?”
He shook his head. “I tried to be as nosy as possible. Asked her what happened in the past. At first… I was really bad at it. She would just glare at me and pretend that she forgot my name. She would sometimes call me my father’s name. That was until I found out her secret. She was faking it. She was faking her illness, her forgetfulness.”
“Did you tell the Japanese man?”
“Of course not!” Claude said. “Telling him about it would make them come after my grandmother. I believe the only reason why they didn’t come after her was because they thought she had Alzheimer’s. If they found out she was faking it… they would surely… torture her until she tell them what they need.”
“Tell me Claude… what do they need?”
“I don’t know. That man just asked me to ask about the past and make a list of the people that she mentioned. Of course… it was all about Lilian and the former Prince Fred. She would occasionally mention that man from France which I assume was Mr. Neeson. Then… Victor the butler and I believe the previous Grand Duke. Aside from that she would mention people who she said were protecting LIlian.”
“And… you told the Japanese about this?”
“I did. I have to report every month. And give him the list.”
“And Mr. Neeson?”
“I did see Mr. Neeson. But that was only because that Japanese man asked me too. He assured me that they would not kill me. I tried to decline alright? I was not a fool. I know that I was only painting a large target in my back. Of course… that man threatened to tell my mother that I am her husband’s bastard son. That—” He lowered his head and let out a sharp breath. “I don’t want to lose my mother.”
“You think she will hate you once she knows the truth?”
“Of course she will. My mother… My mother is the kindest woman. But my father had multiple affairs all throughout the years. My mother always forgave him but every time this happened, she would stay quiet and cry silently while watching us play in the park. Can you imagine what she would feel if she came to know that she was raising the son of her husband’s mistress?”
Lily smiled. “But what would you think she would feel if she came to know that you were hiding the fact from her?”
As expected, her question rendered him speechless. Again, he lowered his head and clenched his jaws as he wondered. What would his mother feel?
“I believe she would think that you and your father deceived her.” Lily added. “She has the right to know. But it’s not really your fault for wanting to keep it a secret. But you should be prepared to face the consequences of your actions. It was you who made this bed. You should also be prepared to lie in it when the time comes.”
Claude gulped as he shifted his gaze back to Lily. “I only wanted to save her from the heartache. I only wanted to give my grandmother the happiest years of her life before she passed away.” Slowly tears rolled down his cheeks. All he wanted was to keep the peace in his family, keep everyone happy.
But it seems that fate was still standing against him and his family.
……………………………..
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